Wisdom Wednesday : Alissa

When we heard that our school paper was being shut down after 48 years, we were lost. One writer had just given a speech on how she chose the University of Central Florida based on that paper. Another one waited until the end of the meeting to speak and all he said was, “It’s a shame that all our hard work wasn’t enough to stop the tide of dying journalism.”

But me? I was mad. How could they crush the dreams and efforts of all the students who had poured their hearts and souls into this paper? How could they snatch away all the opportunities this paper provided to students?

I’ve always been told that anger is an unhealthy and useless emotion — that’s not true. Anger is a vitalizing tool depending on how you use it.

I’ve always been told that anger is an unhealthy and useless emotion — that’s not true. Anger is a vitalizing tool depending on how you use it. With our anger, we created an entirely new paper, with new staff and a new message: that we believed in journalism, we believed in student journalists, we believed in you, our community.

And I think that’s the difference. When you’re angry and fighting for what you believe in, you can’t just post angry statuses on social media or complain to everyone who will listen — you must use that anger to force yourself off the couch and out of self-pity. Use your anger to make the world a better place than you found it.

I once read something about how there is no creation without destruction. Be angry, be upset, be filled with rage but do something about it. A fire that’s not fed will burn out.